Manufacture of sodium formate from carbon monoxide



Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

vMAX ENDERLI, OF OESTRICH, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FIRM OF RUDOLPH KOEPP 8c ('20., CHEMISCHE FABRIK, OF OESTRICH, GERMANY.

MANUFACTURE OF SODIUM vFORli/IA'JJIIE] FROM CARBON MONOXIDE.

No Drawing. Original application filed February 24:, 1921, Serial No. 447,623. Patent No. 1,555,796, dated September 29, 1925. IDivided. and this application filed February 28, 1923. Serial No. 621,923.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1313.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t .known that, 1, MAX ENDERLI, a citizen of Switzerland, residing at Oestrich,

Rheingau, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Sodium Formats from Carbon Monoxide (for which I have filedapplications in Germany, March 3, 1919, and Austria, March 31, 1919), of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of sodium formate and is a division of my application Serial No. 447,623 filed February 24, 1921, which has matured into Patent- No. 1,555,796 Sept. 29, 1925.

The present invention has for its object tion and varies only with the temperature.

It amounts at an ordinary'working tempera ture of170 0., for instance, to 7%.

According to this invention the process is carried out with still lower sulfate concentrations, whereby the reaction may be still more accelerated than according to the first. process described in the above noted application.

The method or process consists in causing carbon monoxide to react with sodium sul- -fate mixed with a hydroxideof an alkaline Thus, for example a 5% 'to'6% solution of sodium .sulfate mixed with several times the equivalent quantity of a hydroxide of an al-- This is conveniently done by supplying it in the form of a mixture with the sulfate or the sulfate-forming substances which mustalso be added to the reaction'vessel.

For example, a 5% solution of sodium sulfate and three or four times its equivalent quantity of caustic lime is submitted to the action of carbon monoxide at a temperature of from 160 to 170 0. As the conversion takes place the sulfate is replaced by introducing i-nto the'reaction vessel solid salt or salt in a highly concentrated aqueous solu tion or suspension, ca-re always being taken that the concentration of the sulfate in the mixture does not exceed the most favorable degree which in this case is from 5% to 6%.

Compared with the manner of -working the invention by producing formates from basic sodium calcium sulfate as described in the above mentioned application, the present invention has the advantage that the'process maybe carried out at a still lower. degree of concentration of the sulfate within any desired limits down to the utmost practical dilution. This method, therefore, renders it possible to increase the rapidity of reaction by 15% or more, whereas compared with the previously known process in which sodium formate was obtained by carbon monoxide reacting upon sodium sulfate mixed with an equivalent quantity of milk of lime, the rapidity of reaction is increased by 50% or .more. The method has, furthermore, the

particular advantage that the conversion of the sodium compound from a sulfate into a formate is quantitative.

Owing to the fact that sodium formate has practically no influence upon the reacting capability of the solution contrary to the effect of sodium sulfate, the invention permits avery profitable utilization of weak formate solutions, for instance of liximtion from the formate manufacture. This water maybe introduced into the process for the production of formate instead of ordinary Water to be transformed into-concentrated formate solutions by saturation with the newly formed fol-mate.

I claim: I v

1. A process for. the manufacturing of sodium formate consisting in causing carbon monoxide to act upon strongly diluted sodium sulfate solutions in the presence of alkali earth metal hydroxide, and replacing the converted sodium sulfate by addition of fresh sodium sulfate in such quantities that aconstant low sodium sulfate concentration is maintained which is below the saturation concentration of the basic sodiumcalcium sulfate for the corresponding temperature.

2. A process for the manufacturing of sodium formate consisting in causing carbon monoxide to act upon strongly diluted-sodium sulfate solutions in the presence of alkali-earth metal hydroxide, and replacing the converted sodium sulfate by addition of ,frcsh sodium sulfate in such quantities that a constant low sodium sulfate concentration is maintained which is below the saturation concentration of the basic sodium calcium sulfate for the corresponding temperature, the supply of carbon monoxide being continued until concentrated formate solutions have been produced.

4. A process for the manufacturing of sodium formate consisting in causing carbon monoxide to' act upon strongly diluted sodium sulfate solutions in the presence of alkali earth metal hydroxide, in replacing the converted sodium sulfate in such a manner that a constant low sodium sulfate concentration is maintained which is below the dium sulfate solutions in the presence of alkali earth metal hydroxide, and replacing the converted sodium sulfate by the addition of substances which generate sodium sulfate in such quantities that a constant low sodium sulfate concentration is maintained which is below the saturation concentration of the 'basicsodium calcium sulfate for the corresponding temperature.

6. A process for the manufacturing of sodium formate consisting in causing carbon monoxide to act upon strongly diluted sodium sulfate solutions in the presence of alkali earth metal hydroxide, and replacing the converted sodium sulfate by the addition of basic sodium calcium sulfate in such quantities that a constant low sodium sulfate concentration is maintained which is below the saturation concentration of the basic sodium calcium sulfate for the corresponding temperature.

7. A process for the manufacturing of sodium formate consisting in causing carbon monoxide to act upon strongly diluted sodium sulfate solutions in the presence of alkali earth metal hydroxide, and replacing the converted sodium sulfate by addition of solutions of sodium sulfate in diluted formate solution in such quantities that a constant low sodium sulfate concentration is maintained which isibelow the saturation concentration of the basic sodium calcium sulfate for the corresponding temperature.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

I DR. MAX ENDERLI. 

